If you’re planning on updating to iOS 6.1.2 to fix any issues you might be having with Exchange, you can download the firmware through iTunes and perform a DFU mode restore to the iOS 6.1.2 firmware. You will not be able to update to iOS 6.1.2 OTA (over the air) if you are jailbroken, and we don’t recommend OTA if you aren’t jailbroken yet. You should follow this guide to get your device prepared for the jailbreak on iOS 6.1.2.

There shouldn’t be any issues with jailbreak tweaks not being compatible with iOS 6.1.2, since it’s pretty much the same firmware as iOS 6.1 with a few minor bug fixes. With that being said, update to your heart’s content!

Yes, you're starting completely from scratch, yes I realize that many consider this a PITA, but it is the "Best" way. Can you do it other ways? Yes, but the absolute "Best" way is the way I just described (& the way I do my phone with each update & jailbreak).

Hey so i jump the gun and just click restore/update set as new phone. did not do a DFU restore. AM i ******? eveything seem to be fine right now. Can someone help me out here. do i redo it ? or just keep it as it now?

Yes, you're starting completely from scratch, yes I realize that many consider this a PITA, but it is the "Best" way. Can you do it other ways? Yes, but the absolute "Best" way is the way I just described (& the way I do my phone with each update & jailbreak).

The thing is, I've been an iPhone user for so many years, I'm not about to lose all my AppStore settings/data just for JailBreak.

Ok now I know trying to keep all AppStore data/settings is not "best" practice, but it seemed ok the past week on 6.1 (so I'll try it again on 6.1.2)

I guess since PKGbackup backs up ALL my AppStore data/settings, I could go that route. (clean restore, jailbreak, restore app data via PKGbackup, then reinstall those apps one at a time via AppStore) The next biggest pain is getting on my groups I created for the many apps I have organized once again.

Decisions Decisions, Trial Error here I go. I noticed the Official Evati0n instructions make no mention of best practice DFU restore.

The thing is, I've been an iPhone user for so many years, I'm not about to lose all my AppStore settings/data just for JailBreak.

Ok now I know trying to keep all AppStore data/settings is not "best" practice, but it seemed ok the past week on 6.1 (so I'll try it again on 6.1.2)

I guess since PKGbackup backs up ALL my AppStore data/settings, I could go that route. (clean restore, jailbreak, restore app data via PKGbackup, then reinstall those apps one at a time via AppStore) The next biggest pain is getting on my groups I created for the many apps I have organized once again.

Decisions Decisions, Trial Error here I go. I noticed the Official Evati0n instructions make no mention of best practice DFU restore.

I just had a most HORRIBLE experience with PKGBackup. It doesn't say in Cydia that its iOS6 ready. And I guess it's not. Boot loop disaster after I restored from a PKGBackup restore. BEWARE!! The only thing that worked was - DFU Restore--> Jailbreak 1.4--> Restore from Backup to get all apps and data and chat sessions back / photos.. THEN load Cydia stuff one by one dude. Trust me!! I have lots of Cydia tweaks. Only took me 20 minutes in Cydia to get it all back. 'twas a NIGHTMARE using PKG. Don't do it!! Unless you want to totally waste your time.

Don't forget to back up Themes and iWidgets and all the rest to your computer with iFunBox before restoring. If PKG worked as it has in the past - it's a huge timesaver. But not in 6.

Im not following you, how many DFU's restores are out there? So far I only know one

I meant, the readme that comes with Evasi0n does't say we should blow the phone away to barebones with no AppStore or AppData installed. The instructions say to make sure you back things up, and then goes right into jainbreaking. (no mention of having to do a vanilla DFU based recovery)

Originally Posted by NewdestinyX

I just had a most HORRIBLE experience with PKGBackup. It doesn't say in Cydia that its iOS6 ready. And I guess it's not. Boot loop disaster after I restored from a PKGBackup restore. BEWARE!! The only thing that worked was - DFU Restore--> Jailbreak 1.4--> Restore from Backup to get all apps and data and chat sessions back / photos.. THEN load Cydia stuff one by one dude. Trust me!! I have lots of Cydia tweaks. Only took me 20 minutes in Cydia to get it all back. 'twas a NIGHTMARE using PKG. Don't do it!! Unless you want to totally waste your time.

Don't forget to back up Themes and iWidgets and all the rest to your computer with iFunBox before restoring. If PKG worked as it has in the past - it's a huge timesaver. But not in 6.

Consider yourself warned.

Ok maybe I won't try it then. (was just about to before reading replies here one last time)

Hmmm so are you saying we can still restore our AppStore Apps/data AFTER we jailbreak??? I thought once you do any type of backup restore you lose Cydia. (help me understand) If this is true, then it's not a big deal I'll be able to keep everything, just didn't know. People were saying you had to start over from scratch and save nothing.

If not, I guess I need to jailbreak AFTER the AppStore/Data restore via iTunes (like I usually do, with all jailbreaks)

I'd rather do what's best though for maximum stability so please chime in and let's get this cleared up for me and everyone else

Everything is saved in your local or iCloud backup, so far you only need to sync the apps back to your phone (mines used to autodownlaod with iCloud) and for Cydia you need to manually download every tweak you had but if it had custom settings they will be added from the backups.

Ok maybe I won't try it then. (was just about to before reading replies here one last time)

Hmmm so are you saying we can still restore our AppStore Apps/data AFTER we jailbreak??? I thought once you do any type of backup restore you lose Cydia. (help me understand) If this is true, then it's not a big deal I'll be able to keep everything, just didn't know. People were saying you had to start over from scratch and save nothing.

If not, I guess I need to jailbreak AFTER the AppStore/Data restore via iTunes (like I usually do, with all jailbreaks)

I'd rather do what's best though for maximum stability so please chime in and let's get this cleared up for me and everyone else

Your apps and data are saved in an iTunes backup. Jailbreak right after system restore - then after jailbreak do a restore backup from iTunes to get back your apps and apps data. Some will say little bad things can saved in an iTunes backup so you should add apps back manually from within your iTunes sync window rather than do a restore back up. But then you 'rightly ask' "where's my app data" to which you rarely get a good answer around here. Getting your app data back is practically impossible without an involved super tech-ey step that ill leave others to explain. I personally have done iTunes restore from backups since iPhone 2G with no problems.
Steps:
• Restore to new firmware
• Jailbreak (do it at this point because jail breaking a nearly empty phone is faster.)
• Restore from iTunes backup (last one that saved all your stuff)(you will NOT lose Cydia)
• Reload Cydia stuff one by one

Your apps and data are saved in an iTunes backup. Jailbreak right after system restore - then after jailbreak do a restore backup from iTunes to get back your apps and apps data. Some will say little bad things can saved in an iTunes backup so you should add apps back manually from within your iTunes sync window rather than do a restore back up. But then you 'rightly ask' "where's my app data" to which you rarely get a good answer around here. Getting your app data back is practically impossible without an involved super tech-ey step that ill leave others to explain. I personally have done iTunes restore from backups since iPhone 2G with no problems.
Steps:
• Restore to new firmware
• Jailbreak (do it at this point because jail breaking a nearly empty phone is faster.)
• Restore from iTunes backup (last one that saved all your stuff)(you will NOT lose Cydia)
• Reload Cydia stuff one by one

There we go folks, why is this kind of info not ever talked about? (or at least in the Readme) This makes sense now instead of letting people assume on their own thanks.

So I actually did the jailbreak AFTER the full restore from iTunes. (and so far so good)
I also restored all my Cydia apps & settings via PKGbackup. I made sure to disable ALL other restore options PKGbackup offers and only restored the Cydia apps, and sources. Everything cydia related was restored, rebooted, and wham my phone is just like it was before!

Things are zippy and I tested the heck out of everything with no problem so far.

So I actually did the jailbreak AFTER the full restore from iTunes. (and so far so good)
I also restored all my Cydia apps & settings via PKGbackup. I made sure to disable ALL other restore options PKGbackup offers and only restored the Cydia apps, and sources. Everything cydia related was restored, rebooted, and wham my phone is just like it was before!
Things are zippy and I tested the heck out of everything with no problem so far.
In the future, I'll try it the way you explained above though

Glad PKGBackup restore worked for you. It was a nightmare for me - and I'm a veteran now to all this stuff. You probably had lesser Cydia stuff than I did. Or maybe I still run a tweak or two not ready for 6. I thought all was clean. And I've used PKGBackup flawlessly in the past. Don't know what happened this time. But I'm up and running and already after 5 hours of the phone being on, an hour of moderate usage, battery sits at 94%. So 6.1.2 seems to have fixed my Exchange calendar battery drain. Won't know til after full day's usage.

And to correct you on one thing - there a SEVERAL "Sticky" (ReadMe) threads on the forum about the restore process with a jailbreak. You didn't look very hard, bro.